


Cover up

by OrbitOfIO



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: IgNoct, Ignoct Week, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, feelies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 11:17:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13612233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrbitOfIO/pseuds/OrbitOfIO
Summary: Written for Ignoct week 2018. Prompt: Noctis finds out what happened in Altissia. The angsty continuation of 'that' campfire scene in episode Ignis.





	Cover up

**Author's Note:**

> This prompt was a good excuse to write some feelies. I might rewrite this to be a bit longer and better in the future as I really like the idea of Noctis suffering from survivors guilt after all that has happened.

Prompt: situational, Noctis learns what happened in Altissia. 

And just like that the kiss was over. Neither of them wanted it to be, but breathing was still a necessity. They stayed still standing opposite of each other, frozen. Nocts’ coarse beard brushed against Ignis’ skin, they were that close. They said nothing, only listened to the breeze that was most likely messing up their hair, to the crackle of the campfire and the rhythm of each others breathing.

Eventually Noctis moved. He leaned in, wrapping his arms around the middle of the tacticians back. Ignis naturally mirrored the kings gesture albeit his hold was a bit looser. Nocts’ hands were fidgeting as if he had been nervous or he was about to say something. - perhaps both..?- Ignis thought.

He couldn’t see the others face anymore, not the quiver of his lip or the nervousness in the dark haired mans eyes but in the end it didn’t matter. They had known each other for too long. An extra word in a sentence or the tiniest crack in the others voice was enough. That was the depth of their relationship. “Noctis, is there something you wan to say?”, the taller man asked as they had but this evening to live. 

Noctis was still pressed against the other as he tried to form a coherent sentence. “I, I want to ask you something, something… before we leave for Insomnia tomorrow...I never got a chance to ask it before and well I assumed you didn’t want to talk about it..”, Noctis spoke quickly , repeating his words. His voice was stuffy but it wasn’t a miracle, they had all been emotional for the past few days and especially tonight. 

Ignis didn’t like where this was going, he leaned back a bit. “Go on..”, he said ,maybe a bit more harshly than he had intended. 

“I won’t force you to tell me Iggy”, Noctis responded hastily to the harshness of the strategist’s voice “...but it’s killing me. I want to know what happened in Altissia...I want to know what took away the light from you forever...” 

“Quite the poet, aren’t you Noct...”, Ignis teased in a lighter tone wanting to ease his kings mind and to create time for himself. He had expected this and he had decided not to lie when the time came. 

“Maybe all those boring classics of Eosian literature you had me read while tutoring me finally added up to something..”, Noctis responded with a chuckle giving his beloved adviser the time and mental space he required.

Ignis chuckled but didn’t add to the joke anymore. He stepped back with his left leg and pulled his hands between Noctis and himself. His unfocused eyes looked a bit over them. Noctis was confused, his gaze snapped from Iggys face to his hands and then back. The blind man took a deep breath. “You don’t have to listen to a monologue...I can show you too...”, then he very slowly removed the glove covering his left hand. 

Ignis had a lot of scars, most of which he had collected during the past 10 years. Most of his scars faded and with them the memories of their origin. However the scars that marred his face never faded and neither did this one.

Noctis realized what the scar meant the instant he saw it. Ignis always wore gloves after Altissia. He had gloves on whether he was sleeping or eating. He had had them on even when he had touched Noctis. The king couldn’t help it, he felt a sting in his hear like someone had jabbed it with a dull knife. -How did I miss something so obvious…?!- he shouted voicelessly to himself the survivors guilt hitting him like a train going full speed.

A thick scar circled the base of Ignis’ left middle finger. Thin delicate scars traveled up and down from the main injury. When Noctis used the ring similar capillary resembling markings appeared on his skin. His disappeared but Ignis would be scarred forever. -As if that’s the biggest problem..- , Noct added, swallowing to control himself. 

He felt like taking the ring out of his pocket and throwing it into the wilderness. If the world had not been depending on it and him , he would have done it. After that he would have probably thrown himself to the wolves too. The old thoughts and unpleasant memories came crashing down but Noctis pushed them back with great effort. He wanted be there for Ignis. - This isn’t easy for him..- 

Te dark haired man was right ,it wasn’t easy. Only he himself had known the truth until this very moment. When someone had tried to pry the story out the strategist had lied. His cover up had been a bombing. His scars looked like they had been caused by shrapnel to eyes that didn’t know what they were looking for. “I take it you recognize the look of the scar..”, Ignis said silently his expression solemn. This was more difficult than he had thought. - He’ll blame himself for what happened all over gain- 

“Yeah, I do...You used the ring..”, Noctis tried his best to keep his voice from cracking.“But why, Why would you do it when you knew that you can’t wield it. The ring could have...it could have killed you Iggy”, the king failed miserably in trying to keep his voice in check.

“I didn’t have a choice...”, Ignis said quickly, defensively. “I was ready to die to protect you, I still am. It was Ardyn, he was holding a knife against your throat when you were unconsci..” 

Noctis interrupted Ignis.”You were at the altar?!”, he shouted loudly enough for both Gladio and prompto to turn their heads towards them but they quickly turned their attention elsewhere as clearly this was something the chosen king and his hand had to sort out. 

Ignis jumped a bit at the sudden raise in volume. Loudness startled him easier than it had when he had still seen. Noctis reacted to the gesture signaling discomfort. “Dammit, I’m sorry specs...It’s just...you’ve been holding all of this in… So much must have happened that day and only now you tell someone..”

“To be fair you fought a goddess, your majesty”, Ignis tried to counter to avoid telling more this fast. - my demeanor will fail me...- 

“Funny...”, Noctis replied not one bit amused. “I fought a goddess, passed out, let Luna die and while I was hallucinating in a coma my badshit crazy adviser decided to put on a Lucian kings exclusive ring and and fight against Ardyn”, Noctis continued bitterly the guilt slipped out. It was impossible to hold in.

“Noctis...”, Ignis said and continued straight after getting the kings attention. “Don’t blame yourself. I was given a choice but I decided to fight. I decided to put on the ring and fight instead of rolling over and following Ardyn to his ship. I alone made that choice out of duty..and out of love. You need not to blame yourself for the actions of your ‘badshit crazy adviser’”, his voice was passionate but stern. This was what he had been afraid of, of Noctis blaming himself. -He’ll take that guilt to his grave now..Maybe I should have lied..- 

Ignis pulled the dark haired man against himself tightly, figuring that actions would speak louder than words right now. Noctis didn’t fight it, he wanted to though. He wanted to question him, he wanted to question Ignis’ love and loyalty. - Why are you still here? - he would have liked to ask but never did.


End file.
